Hey There Delilah
by AveMacDon
Summary: Delilah Stark and Steve Rogers would make each other feel jealousy, hate, lust, but most importantly, love.
1. Hey There Delilah

**A/N: Hey guys, so this is my first "Avengers" fanfic and my first fanfic in about 10ish months, so I'm a little rusty. I hope you all like this story, because it's been swirling around my head for a while. It will be multi-chaptered. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved with the "Avengers", they belong to Marvel. **

* * *

Delilah. She was 18. Also, she happened to be Tony's daughter. That was the only information given to the Avengers when Stark informed them that Stark Tower would soon be home to someone new.

As it turns out, in his mid – to late twenties, Tony Stark had been married to some crazy model. Though it was an unhappy, adultery filled marriage, they had somehow had two children: a boy named Darren, now twenty, who refused to be in the same room as Tony, and Delilah. As children, to Tony's dismay, the kids had hardly seen their father, and rarely spoke to him. Recently, Delilah and Tony had begun to speak quite a lot, and he was often texting her instead of going to meetings. After being accepted to NYU's vocal program, Tony had offered Delilah a room in the "Avengers" Tower. She accepted.

She was tall, and skinny and, in all honesty, gorgeous; Natasha wouldn't help but think it was because of her mother; though Tony was handsome, his spawn couldn't be that attractive. Delilah and her father shared the same dark hair and sense of humor: dry and sarcastic. She was also funny, and wore pastels a lot. She fit in perfectly with their weird family. Delilah was willing to play video games with Tony and Clint. She would play piano for Natasha while she danced, but only when Natasha asked, and she only usually asked after long, Clint-less missions. The youngest Stark would listen to Steve and Thor's tales of their childhoods and lives before they came to the 21st century. On Saturday afternoons, she would make Bruce Kraft Dinner and they would have lengthy conversation about science, and the influence of music and the media and whatever had on the human brain. She fit in perfectly.

Steve noticed a lot about Delilah during her first year with them. She loved fruit and orange juice. When alone in a room, she would sing, sometimes quietly and sometimes really loudly. That is not a creepy observation because their rooms are right beside each other's. She was patient and was willing to explain any and every 21st century thing to Steve and Thor. Delilah liked wearing men's tank-tops (and they liked her right back) Her hair matched her dark, powerful eyes. She was smart and funny and feisty. Steve couldn't help but be reminded of Peggy everything he looked at her.

* * *

It was mid-December when it happened. Tony and Pepper were at some opening for some art gallery somewhere, Clint and Natasha were on a mission, Thor was in Asgard dealing with the last of Loki's trails and Bruce was holed up in his lab. As the snow fell, Steve sat on the large, modern couch in the main living area, facing the skyline of Manhattan. He was nursing a glass of schnapps; the same kind Doctor Erskine had offered him all those years ago. Though the alcohol no longer affected him, the burn was a reminder of his old life, of everything he had lost.

Steve's façade of the brave war hero, always on, always in charge, was slowly beginning to crumble, leaving behind a shell of a lost man, unsure of anything. He couldn't help but wish he could go back, back to before the war, when he'd been small and skinny; back to when he still had Bucky and Peggy; back to when everyone he held dear was still alive. The Captain couldn't hold it in any longer; he began to sob, tears streaming down his face.

He wasn't sure how long it had been. Minutes? Hours? But he felt warm arms wrap around him, pulling him out the ocean his tears had created. "Shhh…" Delilah whispered, rubbing soothing circles into Steve's back. "It'll be okay, don't cry."

Delilah's heart broke as she watched him cry, as she felt his sobs shake his body and her's. The Captain, the Star-Spangled Man With a Plan, he was the savior, not the one in need of saving. Since she'd moved in, a year and a half ago, she'd seen him save every single member of the team. To see him like this was awful. Delilah's eyes began to fill with tears as she held him close.

He could hear her heart beating and the rise and fall of her chest. Any other day, any other time, he would've felt as if this was unsuitable position for either of them to be in, but right now he needed to be held. He hurt, he hurt everywhere. "It won't be okay, it never will. I lost everything," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"Hey, hey," she said, cupping his face in her hands. 'There are some things you're going to need to accept. You're lucky you're even alive Steve. You need to make a new future for yourself, no more dwelling on what could've been. If you dwell, you wont be doing yourself, or those you've lost, justice." Sobs wracked his body again, and she held him, gently rocking back and forth.

They stayed that way until the tears subsided and is eyes began to close. "Alright, time for bed Cap." She led him into his room, helping him into his bed. Before she could say anything, Steve fell asleep. A soft chuckle escaped her lips; crying took a lot out of someone, not even Captain America was immune. "Goodnight, my Star-Spangled Man," She whispered, planting a kiss on his forehead.

* * *

Without even realizing, Delilah Stark had saved Steve Rogers.

* * *

**A/N: I hoped you all liked that. It won't be a long fic, but I do hope to have the next chapter up tomorrow or monday.**

**xoxox, **

**Avery **


	2. Peggy Pinkton

**A/N: So, here it is, chapter two. I hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own The Avengers. If I did, everything would've gone much differently and Hawkeye would be in love with me. **

* * *

Delilah noticed a change in Steve. It was January and New York was as cold as ever. On the outside, Steve was as warm as summer; he laughed and joked with the rest of their messed-up family, but Dee could tell that he still hurt, still longed for his former life. So, she made it her mission to bring him to terms with everything, starting with one woman in particular.

* * *

Steve pinned Clint to the mat for the third time that afternoon. The blondes had been training with one another all day, shooting and running and sparring. The Hawk was only there because Black Widow, his usual partner for everything, was doing God knows what with Pepper, and Steve was in serious need of some release some all his stress.

"You're good… for an old man," Clint said, wiping his face with a tower.

"Gee, thanks," Steve said sarcastically. He had to admit, he liked Clint. He was funny and kind and didn't pry, not to mention, he was a great shot. Clint calmed them down; he was good for everyone. Also, his dedication to Natasha, whether or not they were romantically linked, was amazing.

"Yo, Cap!" Delilah yelled, walking into the gym. "Oh, sweaty men! Yay"

"Shut up," Barton said, smirking. "You know you love it."

"Yeah, that shit really turns me on, old man."

"Language," Steve chastised, pointing a finger at her.

"Well, Mr. Rogers, you are just the man I wanted to see. I have a surprise for you!"

"What kind of surprise?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl. Knowing her father, any surprise coming from any member of this family couldn't be good.

"A very, very good one. Go get changed, clean yourself up, shower, whatever, just meet me in the garage in 45 minutes," with that, she strutted out of the gym, an extra bounce in her step.

"That can't be good," Clint mumbled, gathering his things.

She was leaning against a black car. She wore a green winter jack and what he had learned were referred to as "skinny jeans". They just looked like uncomfortable pants, but to each their own.

"Get in the car; we'll be there in a little under an hour." She slid into the sleek black car and Steve followed suit.

"So, where are we headed?" He asked, watching her fiddle with the GPS and her cell phone at the same time.

"Can't tell you, that's the point of a surprise. You'll like it though," she said, gunning the car out of the garage.

* * *

_"I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock…"_

"How is this considered music?" Steve asked, wrinkling his nose every time the singer said, "cock". Why did people these days feel the need to over sexualize everything? Was simple and pure simply not good enough anymore?

"This is a great song, don't diss. Anyway, we're here." They pulled into the driveway of an old, stone, colonial style house. As the duo approached the door, the Captain couldn't help but feel out of place. Here he stood, on the doorstep of a house he would've dreamed of living in, had it still been the 20th century, but strangely, not now. Had he finally become accustomed to the metal and shine of this new century? He watched Delilah knock on the great, wood door and realized that, although strange, the metal wasn't so bad.

"Yes?" A middle – aged woman asked, opening the door. The heat from inside the house hit the pair in the face and they couldn't help but sigh.

"I'm the girl who phoned about seeing Mrs. Pinkton. I'm Delilah, and my friend here, is Steve."

"Oh! Yes, of course, please come in. I'm Rose. Please, have a seat. I'll go get my mother." Rose reminded Steve of someone, he just couldn't pinpoint who.

While they sat on the sofa in a sitting area of the large, inviting house, he began to scan the walls. Many pictures adorned the red walls, and something familiar graced each photo. Finally, Steve realized what it was: Peggy. She was in almost every photo; she looked just like how he remember her. Rose clicked into place as well; she looked exactly like Peggy. He didn't realize originally because he wasn't looking for it, now it was all he saw.

"You found her?" Steve asked, looking over to Delilah, who was doing something on her phone. Something was hidden in Steve's eyes, almost sorrow.

"It took a while, but JARVIS and I did it. She's almost a hundred, but she's still up and at 'em. On the phone, she seemed really excited to see you."

"But, I… she was dead, I was sure of it." Steve didn't know what to think. He'd been so certain that she was dead, he was almost at terms with that, but now, to find she was alive, and had had a long life without him, almost hurt more than thinking she was dead. If she had been dead, he wouldn't have to deal with these feelings, of feeling betrayed and jealous and lonely. He almost resented Delilah for bringing him here, almost. But, he didn't. He knew how much effort she'd put into this, to help him. It just hurt.

"Steve…" He recognized that voice. Steve would've known it anywhere. The accent, the tone, everything. It was Peggy. As he stood and turned around, he took her in. She was older, but only looked about sixty-five. Her features were the same. She was still beautiful.

"I missed our date," he said, smiling at his first, and only love.

"You were busy, I understand. How about I teach you how to dance now?" She took his hand and lead him over to a carpeted, but furniture-less spot in the room. The pair began to dance, moving together. To Steve, it was perfect.

* * *

As Delilah watched Steve and Peggy dance together, she realized something. Delilah Stark was in love with Steve Rogers.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. I sure as hell enjoyed writing it. I'll hopefully update either tonight or tomorrow. **

**xoxo, **

**Avery **


	3. Give Me Love

**A/N: So here's chapter three. Sorry it took a little while to post. I've had it written for a while, just been to lazy to type it all up. Tis chapter is longer than the rest, and will probably be the longest of all the chapters. I hope you all enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, nor do I own the songs mentioned in this chapter, they belong to Ed Sheeran. **

* * *

She was twenty-one now, and something had changed. She was rarely around, always out doing something. Sure, they still saw each other and they all remained a family, but Steve missed her; missed hearing her sing obnoxiously loud on a Sunday morning and watching her bake (she always let him have the beaters after she made icing). He missed her. In passing, Steve had heard her speaking to Pepper, Nat and Clint about a boy named Erik. Steve couldn't help but feel jealous.

Delilah had come to terms with the fact that Steve would never be in love with her. His heart would forever belong to Peggy; all he wanted was to be able to grow old with her. Dee could accept that, and she'd found that acceptance in the beds of Erik, and Nick, and Jason, and, well, most of Manhattan's straight single crowd. She was even considering venturing into Brooklyn.

* * *

Peggy was dead. She'd died seven months after Steve had first seen her again. It had been a hot, humid night. She'd gone peacefully, in her sleep, the way Steve believed all should go. The week before she passed, Steve had been at her house. Since that fateful night in January, Steve had visited Peggy as much as he could. He loved her. She was his epic love. Call him old-fashioned, but he believed everyone got one epic love, and Peggy was his.

"You need to move on Steve," Peggy said, smiling at him. "I moved on long ago Steve, you need to too." The pair sat in the red sitting room where he had seen her first the first time (again). They played cards, while old records played softly in the background.

"It's not that simple, Peggy. You had a chance to grow old, to fall in love. I haven't, nor do I want t. You were it for me Peggy." They sat across from one another, and he could feel the sweat slowing dripping down the back of his neck. It was deathly hot outside, and the air conditioning didn't help much. Steve stared down at his hands. If he could've, he would've married Peggy.

"That's not true. You have a chance to love and live again. Take that chance." She reached over and took one of his hands in her's. Her small, dainty wrinkled hands contrasted her young, strong one. They were worlds a part; she lived in the present, he in the past.

"No one would fit the part, not the way you did."

"I'm sure everyone woman in the whole of the United States would be willing to try. What about Delilah?"

Steve had spoken of his friendship with Delilah, but that was it. Friendship. "Delilah? No. She's Tony's kid, she is off limits, and anyway, she is just a friend." Had she really suggested Delilah? Sure, Dee was gorgeous, but they were friends.

"Sure… I'd say, she's a smitten kitten," she grinned at Steve over her cards.

"No. We are just friends. Don't go fishing Peggy."

"You do need to move on, though. Accept your reality, it's the only one you've got right now."

"I'll try."

"I know you will."

And try Steve did. He'd gone out on two dates, which for him, was pretty impressive. Neither date had spawned something or had been even remotely enjoyable, but he was trying, for Peggy.

* * *

It was May in New York, and the flowers were beginning to bloom. All the Avengers, dressed down and happy, were on their way to Delilah's final NYU recital. The concert was named "The Human Heart" and each student was given an emption. Tony liked the point out, multiple times, that you feel with the brain and not the heart, but after getting many a thing throw at him and almost getting hit by an arrow, he'd finally shut up. Each student had to choose one artist and cover three of the artist's songs that particularly reflected their given emotion. Delilah was love.

They sat in the auditorium, watching flawless act after flawless act. "Now," the director of the program stood on the stage. He was the typical music professor, which meant, he was a hipster. "We have Miss Delilah Stark, with love."

She walked onto the stage, waving slightly at the audience as she took her place on a wooden stood in the center of the stage. She was wearing an unbelievably tight dress and a pair of high heels, which she lovingly referred to as her "babies". They just looked like extremely uncomfortable boots to Steve; Natasha thought they were awesome. "Hi. So, I have the immense pleasure of being the emotion of love," the audience was captivated by her. They hung off her every word. " There are so many love songs and artists, so it was quite difficult to find one artist, with actual, consistently good songs, that mean something. Tonight, for you, I will be performing the songs _Wake Me Up_, _Kiss Me_ and _Give Me Love_, by Ed Sheeran."

The piano began to play and the whole auditorium became silent. No one spoke, or breathed while she sang. She captivated them.

"_Maybe I fell in love when you woke me up_." Her eyes found Steve's in that very moment. The two had become so close, always looking out for on another. They'd drink together, and he'd wake her up the next morning with what looked like waffles, though with Steve's cooking, you could never be sure. She was helping pull Steve to the present, he'd woken her up.

Steve felt something stir inside him. It was a feeling much like what he'd felt with Peggy. It was warm. It was nice.

* * *

She was onto her final song, _Give Me Love_. It was more pleading than the other two had been. The other two were professions of love, this one was asking for love in return. It was raw. It made Delilah feel vulnerable, which was okay with her.

_Give me love like never before,_

_'cause lately I've been craving more,_

_And it's been a while but I still feel the same,_

_Maybe I should let you go,_

_You know I'll fight my corner,_

_And that tonight I'll call ya,_

_After my blood is drowning in alcohol,_

_No I just wanna hold ya._

She sang, trying not to look directly at Steve. She'd been trying not to make eye contact with him the whole night, to no avail. These songs were for him. She just wanted him to love her. She didn't need a man, and she sure as hell knew that, but she was hitting her breaking point with him. She'd tried to move on, but falling out of an unrequited love was the opposite of easy. Steve would never look at her the way he did Peggy, and that was hard to accept.

* * *

"You were amazing kid," Tony said, embracing his daughter. He was so proud of her. He would never admit it, but hearing her sing, he had cried. He loved his daughter more than anything. She was perfect to him.

"Thanks dad. Thank you all for coming." Delilah was happy. This was her family, and she knew they would always be there for her.

"You did great," Steve said, hugging her.

"Thanks Cap."

"Yo! Stark! We're hitting The Frog, want to come with?" A tall, dark haired boy yelled from behind them.

"Yeah! I'll be there in a second Erik," she turned back to the superheroes, and Pepper. "I'll be back later. Thank you all for coming." She kissed Tony's cheek and was off, chasing after her friends.

* * *

"Ouch!" A loud thump and a slew of profanities followed. The noise startled Steve. He jumped up from the couch, dropping his book.

Delilah stood beside the couch, a dopey smile on her lips. "Hey Steve."

"Hi Dee. How was your night?" He asked, sitting down again. Now that he knew there was no threat, he could relax.

"It was great. Lots 'o fun," her words slurred together slightly, making it apparent of how much she had consumed. She leaned down and began yanking on those dumb heels of hers. "Goddamn shoes," and she fell face first over the armrest and onto the couch, landing inches from Steve.

"Come here," he motioned for her to lift up her feet. She sat up and swung her legs around, planting them on his lap. She smiled at him as he undid and took off her shoes. "All done." He dropped the shoes on the ground. Instead of taking her legs off his lap, she moved closer to him, so that she was practically sitting on his lap.

"My hero," she whispered in a fake southern accent, while looking straight into his eyes. She leaned in and kissed him. Surprisingly, he kissed her back. As she began to deepen the kiss, he pulled back, pushing her away from him lightly.

"No." She was Tony's daughter. She was way too young.

"I love you Steve." She was hurt. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. But she wouldn't have that. She wouldn't let him see that.

"No, you don't."

"I love you. Those songs, I sang them to you. I'm in love with you. Can't you see that?"

"I'm not in love with Delilah. I never have been." Steve wasn't sure if that was entirely true. Then again, he hadn't known what the truth was for five years.

She stood up, turning away from him. He followed suit, reaching out for her arm. "Don't touch me!" She yelled, surprising him. A that point, the rest of the team had gathered in the living room, being awoken by the sound of Delilah's first fall. Luckily for Steve, they hadn't seen the two of them kiss.

"Dee, I'm sorry." He truly was. He hated to see her hurt.

"No, you're not. Peggy is dead Steve. And, she didn't choose you any way. She didn't wait for you! She lived her life. She moved on. She married someone else. How does it feel to play second fiddle to someone else?"

"Delilah, don't," Tony said harshly from his spot across the room.

"Dee, you don't…"

"You are so oblivious! I've been in love with you for two years!"

"Delilah, I'm – "he reached out for her arm once again. He needed to stop her, to comfort her, to save her.

"Don't fucking touch me! I may not be a master assassin, or have a big shiny suit, or turn into a giant, green, rage monster, no offence Bruce, or be a super solider, and I'm sure as hell not a demi-god, but believe me when I say, I can still hurt you." She took one last look at the Captain, and turned on her hell, leaving the room.

No one in the room spoke. They all stood, in shock. Had they truly just witnessed that? Steve sat back down on the couch, unsure what to feel. Hurt? Maybe. Sad? Angry? In love? As he looked down at his hands, he saw them. At his feet were those god-awful shoes.

* * *

Steve Rogers and Delilah Stark had hurt each other more then either of them knew.

* * *

**A/N: I hoped you all enjoyed that. Should Erik become an actual character, not just mentioned in passing? **

**The songs I used were: Give Me Love, Kiss Me, and Wake Me Up, all by the lovely Ed Sheeran. I highly recommend listen to his music, he is fantastic. **

**-Avery **


	4. The Balance Beam

**A/N: I'm an awful person! I'm so sorry; I've been in England for the last month and haven't had any time to write! I promise to try and write as much as I can in the next few days/weeks. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, sorry.**

* * *

"Have you ever been in love so much it hurt?" Dee asked, lying on her back. She sat in the gym, on one of the sparring mats; Clint and Natasha were at either of her sides, both sitting with their legs "pretzel" style.

It had been three days since she's barred her soul to Steve and it still hurt as if it had just happened. Throughout Stark Tower the tension was so thick you could cut through it with a knife. The only people Delilah had felt comfortable talking about it with were Clint and Nat, seeing as they were the two who had been actually successful in love.

Every time she entered a room, Steve would leave, Tony would shake his head sympathetically then return to being happily in love, Bruce with shove his nose in a book and Pepper would fix all of them a drink. It was awful. Finally, Dee had had enough and found refuge in the gym.

"Yes," the two master assassins said in unison. Though they avoided talking about it was much as possible, the duo had been married for almost two years, and had been dating for six. To Delilah, they were the perfect example of love.

"What did you do if the person didn't love you back?"

"Well, I just shot em' right through the heart with my arrow of love!" Clint said, pouting his lips and pretending to shot Nat.

"Very funny, but I'm having serious girl issues right now Clint!" She loved Clint, but he had no idea how to help a girl out.

"Just distract yourself, it's the easiest way to forget," Natasha said, smiling down at the girl she considered like a sister. Dee was the first person who had gotten even remotely close to Natasha since Clint had met her ten years ago, excluding himself. It was nice to see her so extremely comfortable with someone.

"I can do that. That's easy. Distract myself. Good." With that she got up and walked into a room adjacent to the gym. The two master assassins decided this was their cue to leave, which was good with them; all that cheesy love talk had made Nat very uncomfortable.

* * *

"Tony, can you do something scientific and make me be able to get drunk, please?" Steve asked the billionaire – play boy – philanthropist. The two sat on the deck of the Tower, overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Each held a glass of scotch.

"As a father, I'm glad to that you were the one she feel in love with, instead of some tattooed, punk-rocker, because I know that type, hell I am that type," Tony laughed and took another swig of his scotch.

"Doesn't help, Tony." Steve sighed, taking another swig of his drink. Talking to Tony was seriously not helping him figure out what to do in the slightest. He would've gone and spoken to Bruce, but Bruce liked to stay out of the line of a women's wrath as much as possible.

"Well, the only thing that's going to help either of you is if you go and talk to each other. I'm not doing any of your dirty work."

It hurt Tony to see the people he loved hurting. He knew he should hate Steve for hurting his little girl, but he knew it wasn't the super soldier's fault; it was hard not to love him.

* * *

From the age of three to fifteen, Delilah had been a gymnast. She'd been almost good enough to go to the Olympics, but by that point, she'd hated it. Knowing her mother would never let her quit (seeing as she was a crazy, Russian ex-gymnast, there was no such thing as "no"), she'd thrown her Olympic trails, and by throwing them, had broken her foot. Though she'd given it up competitively, she still loved it. When she moved into the Tower, her father had built her her own gym. She'd come here in times of trouble, turn on her music and forget the world.

It was a room with a blue spring floor and white walls, one of which was a mirror, and two walls, aside form the mirrored one, held a large window that looked onto the New York city skyline. In the left corner of the room were a trampoline and a foam pit, which was across from a set of uneven bars. Along the back wall, which was the longest – seeing as the room was a rectangle- held a vault. In the center of the room was a beam. Tony hadn't bothered to put a place to do floor, seeing as Dee hated that aspect of gymnastics.

She flipped from one of the bars to the other. This was her specialty; this had been what made her great. As she stuck the landing, she heard applause coming from the side of the room where the door was.

"Well done," said a low, radio announcer-like voice.

"Hey Erik." Dee couldn't help but smile. Over the last year, Erik had become one of her best friends, and sure the occasionally hooked up, but he was still amazing.

"I got your text," he said, waving his phone in the air. "What's up?"

"I need a distraction. Bad." She smiled at him.

"I can help with that," he smiled slyly at her, his voice husky.

"I know you can." She walked over to the beam and hopped onto it, so that she was sitting. He stood before her. Neither of them knew who made the first move, but soon they were kissing, each breath they took parting, but also bring their lips closer together.

* * *

Steve headed to the gym. He knew he needed to fix things with Dee; he needed her to listen to him. She had to understand his side of things. He wanted to badly to make things better between them, and this was his chance.

What he saw in the gym was not what he expected at all. He'd expected to find Delilah on the bars, working out her frustration and anger the way she usually would. Instead he found her perched on the beam, her legs around some guy's waist. He could help but feel angry and a primitive thought passed through his mind: Delilah was his.

* * *

Delilah Roger's new man made Steve Rogers jealous, more jealous than he'd even been in his entire life.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for that surprising short, slightly filler chapter, but I kind of liked it. The next chapter will be longer, I pinky swear.**


	5. Paris

**A/N: So this chapter is setting the scene for the next chapter, which is awesome.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything… except for a couple really ugly sweater.**

* * *

"That's not the point, Clint! She was in there, with some guy, doing god knows what! She's definitely over it." The Avengers stood in the kitchen, each holding a class of their preferred alcoholic beverage. When the Cap had come storming into the kitchen, in search of something that burns, and he'd downed Nat's glass of vodka, they'd all known it was bad.

"That doesn't make any sense, we were talking to her an hour ago. She'd been pretty distressed about it then," the Black Widow commented, pouring herself another glass of vodka.

"Well, you did tell her to distract herself…" Clint said, downing the rest of his Rum and Coke.

"I figured she'd just drink herself into a stupor like the rest of us."

"Well she didn't," Steve, said bitterly, taking a swig from the bottle of Jack he'd claimed as his.

"It'll be alright, Spandex, have no fear. If Dee knows what's good for her, she'll come and talk to her," Tony slurred, already drunk, seeing as he'd been drinking since noon. (Hey, it was five o'clock somewhere, right?)

* * *

"Three or four, Brucie?" Delilah asked, flipping another pancake onto the plate beside the stove.

"Three."

"Good, 'cause I didn't want to make another one," she smiled at the man, placing the plate in front of his and kissing his head.

"Some days I feel like you treat me like a child," remarked the scientist.

"That's because some days I do Brucie," she took a seat beside him and began eating her cereal.

As the duo ate, the rest of their mix matched family wandered in, most of them sporting massive hangovers. Surprisingly, Steve even stayed in the room when he saw her. Once everyone had gotten their breakfast food of choice, Delilah spoke up.

"I have some news. So, last night, I got a call from the music magazine where I applied for a job, and they want me to join their Paris office! I start work at the beginning of July."

"Oh my god, honey, that's wonderful," Pepper exclaimed, getting up and hugging the girl she considered a daughter.

"I'm proud of you, boo," Tony said, smiling at his daughter. They were so alike, yet she was so much better than he could ever dream of being; she was kind, and loving, and smart, and funny, and had ambition like no other. She was everything he wished to be.

"Thanks dad," she whispered. She'd miss this weird family.

Suddenly, amidst the wave of congratulations, Steve stood up and left the room. Without warning, Delilah followed suit.

* * *

They stood in the garage, Steve about to get on his bike. "Don't even think about," said warned, closing the door behind her.

"Just let me go Delilah."

"No. Talk to me, Steve. Please. Let me know what you're thinking."

"What I'm thinking!" he got off his bike and walked towards her. "I'm thinking that this is the first time I've spoken to you in four days. I'm thinking that you don't want to hear what I have to say. I'm thinking that you'd rather have your legs wrapped around some guy. That is what I'm thinking." Steve knew he was being cruel, but he was angry and jealous.

"Steve, I'm sorry I hurt you, but I'm not going to apologize for what I've said or done. I needed to distract myself from my feelings about you, and Erik was willing to help. It wasn't meant to hurt you, it was meant to help me."

"He your new squeeze or something?" Steve looked down at his boots. He'd never been very good with talking to women, let alone angry women.

"No, no, no, no. He's just a friend. He knows how I feel about you, and even if he wanted more, he'd wait until I wanted it too. But, I want to fix us Steve. I can't leave in a three and a half weeks with our relationship still in ruins."

"I need time Delilah. I want to fix us too, but I need to think things through."

"I understand, I truly do." With that, he hopped on his bike and drove away.

* * *

"I'll see you at Christmas, I promise," she cupped Clint's face in her hands. "Don't cry Hawk Boy, I'll be back." She smiled at Clint as if he were a toddler.

Tony, Pepper, Clint, Natasha, Thor and Bruce all stood on Tony's private airstrip. Delilah stood in front of them, along with two suitcases and a carry on.

"I know… But I'm still going to miss you," he embraced her as hard as he could.

"Clint, babe, calm. The fuck. Down." Nat whispered to her inconsolable husband. "She'll be back at Christmas, and you can call or Skype her anytime you feel like it."

"Exactly. Now, please, let go, you're crushing me."

"Sorry." He stepped away from her as if she were Loki.

"Do you think you'll be able to make your down pancakes for the time being, Brucie?" she asked, turning to the scientist.

"I'll try. Not sure how well it'll go though."

"You'll survive," she hugged him tightly. "Dad… I'm going to miss you," she grabbed her dad, pulling him into a hug. Tony could feel tears on his neck and he held her even tighter than before.

"I'm just a flight away," he consoled his twenty-one year old daughter. "Plus, Darren is in London if you need family."

"I know, but I'm going to miss you, all of you." She felt a pang in her chest as she realized she wouldn't be able to say good bye to one man in particular.

"But we're all just one flight away," Nat informed her, pulling her non-related sister into a hug.

"Well, I'll see you all in December. Give the Captain my regards." Delilah hadn't seen Steve since they'd spoken in the garage three and a half weeks ago. According to Clint, he'd asked Fury for a mission as far away from New York as possible.

"No need for that," Steve said, stepping off his bike.

"Hey," Delilah couldn't help but let a smile creep onto her face.

"Hey," he pulled her into a hug. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear.

"I missed you too. You have a lot of explaining to do when I get back in December."

"Believe me, I know." He smiled down at her, and before anyone could even breath, he kissed her. It was small and quick, but it was still a kiss.

"Delilah, you have to go or the plan will leave without you." Tony informed them, coughing and trying not to kill Steve for touching his little girl.

* * *

Steve Rogers confused Delilah Stark more than anyone ever has, ever.

* * *

**A/N: Get ready for the next one ladies and gents.**


	6. The Lost Dog

**A/N: Three chapters in one night? Is she crazy? No, just inspired. I truthfully really like this chapter, specifically the ending and it makes up for a shitty last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine.**

* * *

The snow fell as Delilah Stark entered Stark Tower for the first time in months.

* * *

She loved Paris, loved every single thing about it. She shared an apartment with another girl who worked with her, named Sarah, from Toronto. Delilah got to go to concerts and then write about it for a living, what's not to love. She'd even found love, for a fleeting second, but she truthfully couldn't care less about love lost. Life was amazing and that was all that mattered. But, in the end, New York was home.

* * *

She entered the apartment, and set down her bags. All the lights were off and everything was silent, which was strange. Usually someone, most likely her father, Clint or Thor, were making noise somewhere. She walked into the living room to find Tony and Pepper watching a movie.

"Hey guys!" She yelled, squeezing in between them on the couch.

"Hey boo!" Tony exclaimed, grabbing his daughter and holding her as close as possible. She pulled Pepper towards them, thus creating a Delilah sandwich. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too dad. I missed both of you." Finally, after being squeezing for what felt like an eternity, Tony and Pepper finally let Dee go.

"You have to tell us everything," Pepper said, smiling at her stepdaughter.

"Well…"

After telling Tony and Pepper about everything she'd been doing since July, she couldn't help but ask the question that had bugging her since her arrival. "Where is everyone?"

"They were sent on a mission by Fury. I decided not to go because I knew you were coming home tonight."

"When are they all going to be back?"

"In two days time, so sit tight, because you're stuck with us," Pepper said sarcastically.

"Doesn't seem too bad to me."

* * *

She'd been home for a week, and sadly everyone save the Captain had been called out for a quick mission, and according to Fury, "the Avengers were the only ones who could handle this." It still sucked for Delilah, because, even though she had a ton of friends in New York, whom she had visited already and would be visiting with more in the days to come, the Avengers were her family and she wanted to see them as much as possible before she had to leave again. And, to make matters worse, things between her and Steve had been awkward to say the least. They'd tried to make conversation, but neither of them were entirely sure where they stood and neither were ready to test their boundaries.

Finally, though, on the night of December 20th, Delilah was done with all the awkwardness.

"Hey Steve," she said, leaning again the doorframe of the gym. He was beating the shit out of a punching bag and, looking hot as hell.

He jumped and turned around to face her. "Hey," he said hesitantly.

"So I was thinking," she began walking towards him, "that, seeing as we're the only two people in the place for the next few days, we should go out for dinner tonight. Some place nice?"

"Sure," he shrugged. Truthfully, he didn't ant to go out for dinner with her. He knew it was all his fault that their relationship was so awkward, but he found that he reverted back to tiny, 1940's Steve, who got so worried around girls that he couldn't even face her. He'd been trying to hide form her all week.

"Meet me at the front door at 7. Wear something nice," she winked at him and left the room.

* * *

Steve stood at the door, wearing the nicest thing he owned, which was a black, Burberry suit that Tony had bought him a year ago for Tony and Pepper's wedding. Seeing as he'd been the best man, Tony had wanted him to look "presentable" (Tony's words, not his). His leg bounced as he waited for her to arrive. Finally, she walked into the room. His heart stopped as he took her in. She wore a skin tight, red velvet dress and her hair hung in curls down her back. He couldn't look away from her. He reminded her of a movie star from his time. She was perfect.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Hey," he opened the door and followed after her to the garage.

* * *

"Tell me about Paris," he asked as they sat at the restaurant. It was a chic, dimly lit, intimate room, with about twenty tables and a bar. Couples and groups of well-dressed twenty-somethings dined and drank expensive food off of the best china New York could get a hold of.

"It's amazing. I pretty much just get to go to concerts then write up small articles about them once a week. I love my job, I love where I live, and I love my friends there. It's so different from New York, it's like night and day."

"Have you found anyone?" he could hardly look at her as he asked that, instead he focused on the lipstick marks on her glass.

"There was one guy, for about three months, but when you find him in bed with the cigarette girl from your favorite restaurant, it's kind of a deal breaker."

"I'm sorry." He truly was, and he knew that, if he ever met this man, Steve would beat him to a pulp.

"He's not worth my tears. He's an ass," she stared at Steve and winked. Steve was glad they were slowly getting back to normal.

* * *

"That's the thing, I didn't lose the dog, it was Clint." The duo sat at the bar, both nursing their fourth drink, and Delilah was beginning to get very drunk.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Blame it on the man-child."

"Why does every one think he's so goddamn innocent? He's truly not."

"No one thinks he's innocent, it's just that you're even less innocent than he is."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "But, hey," she leaned forward so that she was practically whispering in his ear, and placed her hand on his knee, "do you want to get out of here?"

"Sure," and as she pulled back, he grabbed the back of her neck, and pulled his into a searing kiss, letting the kiss speak for him.

* * *

They kissed in the car, and in the elevator up to the aprtement, and when they'd finally gotten into the apartment, clothes started coming off.

* * *

"Hey, Steve, I was wondering if I could possibly ask you to- holy shit!" Bruce stood in the middle of Steve's room, staring at the Captain and Delilah in bed together, very naked (thankfully the blankets covered their nasty bits). He dropped his book and walked out, in dire need of a stiff drink.

* * *

Delilah Stark and Steve Rogers unknowingly scarred Bruce banner for life.

* * *

**A/N: Well… yeah… No words.**


	7. If you're ever in Paris

**A/N: So, this is the second to last chapter and I love it. I truly do. I hope you all do too, and please, review if you feel so inclined. (Side note: Steve is a little OOC at the very beginning of the chapter, but in kind of a good OOC way)**

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own the characters used in this story.**

* * *

"So, what do you two have to say?" Clint asked from where he was in the kitchen. On one side of the large breakfast table sat Hawkeye, Black Widow and Bruce. On the other were Steve and Delilah.

"Don't tell Tony," Steve replied, taking an almost Captain America-like approach to things. He knew that, had it been 1940, he would've been so angry at himself for disgracing Delilah, but it was the twenty-first century and times sure have changed. He had feelings for her, and sure he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was, but he was pretty darn sure it was love.

"Believe me, we weren't planning on it," remarked Natasha. It was true, if Tony were to find out about Steve and Delilah, even if he was a very liberal parent and believed in love and lust and all that jazz and Steve was his friend and teammate, he would probably try to blast Steve's genitals off.

"Weren't planning what?" Tony questioned as he entered the room.

"We weren't expecting you home until tomorrow dad!" Delilah leapt up and pulled Tony into a hug, but shot the rest of their weird little family a look which implied "anyone says anything and I'll kill all of you". It had been a total shock that any of them were back early, but seeing as Tony was supposed to have meetings all day, it was particularly surprising

"So, what are you not planning on doing?" he questioned once again.

"We weren't planning on buying the cheap, no-name brand of Pop-Tarts even though Steve suggested it," Bruce said slyly, smiling at his "science-bro".

"They are more healthy and cheaper, though," Steve slid into the lie without much effort. It was easy to distract Tony with talk of food or women.

"Do whatever you want, but I wouldn't recommend it, Thor'll be pissed. I'm taking a shower." He left the room, never suspecting.

"Well, I'm going to go do something productive, like eat. I'll see you all later," Delilah decided, and with that the awkward chat was over.

* * *

"So, I had a chat with Fury today," Delilah announced as they ate dinner. The whole gang was together at a fancy restaurant on the Upper East Side. It was Dee's last night in New York and Tony was going to make sure it was a good night.

"Go on," Pepper encouraged, while the rest of the team, aside from Thor who was munching happily on his steak, stared at her blankly.

"Well, he stopped me just as I was coming into the Tower. He said that I would be a good addition to S.H.I.E.L.D and that, if I were interested, I should give him a call," she looked utterly bored with the subject. "But really, I'm offended, I'm good enough to be recruited earlier."

"Well, it's doesn't matter does it?" Tony asked, taking a swig of his scotch.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm not letting you put your life in danger like that."

"You mean like you guys do, every single day," she grinned at him in a triumphant way.

"That's not that point," Steve mumbled.

"What was that mister "I'm genetically engineered to be a fighting machine"?" She turned to him, fire in her eyes. Every man at the table cowered just a little at the sight of her.

"It's a different ball game than you're used to, than any of us were used to originally and some still aren't, plus I wouldn't be able to handle you getting hurt," she could see the worry in Steve's eyes and it almost made her waver, almost.

"First of all, I'm an adult who can make her own decisions and who doesn't need any one telling her what she can and cannot do. Second, I've seen the way working for S.H.I.E.L.D can affect someone, and as you know, it's not pretty. Lastly, I love what I do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the little girls room." She threw her napkin down on the table and stood up.

* * *

As she exited the ladies room, she felt a large hand on her back. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry," Steve offered.

"I'm not mad at you. A little peeved, sure, but not angry." They'd stopped now and stood in the dimly lit hallway, between the doors for the ladies and men's washrooms.

"I'm sorry," Steve truly was. He knew how independent she was and that she could fully make her own choices, but he didn't want to see Delilah getting hurt.

"It's fine," she held his face in her hands. "But, it's my choice. I get to chose what I do, not you, not dad, not anyone."

"I know," he looked down at his feet. He realized how alike her and Peggy truly were. Both independent, both incredibly strong willed. He loved them both.

"I can take care of myself Steve."

"I know you can."

"Steve, I – I don't know how good of an idea this is."

"What do you mean?" He looked into her eyes. He was leaning into her, his hand now braced at either side of her, against the wall. Her hands were placed lightly against his chest.

"I leave tomorrow, and I'm not back until June, if even then. I don't think it's fair to either of us. We're going to be on different continents and –"

"It's not hard for me to be in Paris," he interrupted. Was she doing this, truly? After all that had happened, all that had been realized?

"You're going to be out in the world, fighting God knows who, and saving the world. I'm going to be going to concerts and writing it about it after. We both have a very different set of priorities, and plus, we both have a lot of different things to focus on. I just, don't think it's a good idea." Delilah couldn't believe what she'd just said. She wanted to take it all back, but it was true. It wasn't fair to leave while not being one hundred percent sure of what they were.

"But I love you." Delilah grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. It was perfect. It was sweet. And they both knew it was their last.

"I love you too, but we both lead very different lives," she smiled at him, trying to hide how sad she was. "But, hey, if you're ever in Paris, give me a call." With that, she headed back to the table, leaving Steve in the hallway, truly confused.

* * *

Delilah Stark had broken Steve Rogers' heart.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that. R&R if you feel inclined. **


	8. I was in Paris

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Steve asked, following the two master assassins down a side street. The trio were in Paris, on a small mission for Fury. It was simple and they had finished early, which left them their final Parisian evening off.

"Steve, bud, relax. It's fine. It'll be fun. You'll have fun. Plus, it's a great band playing." Clint said, patting Steve reassuringly on the back as they entered the small, dimly lit bar.

The bar was packed with twenty-somethings. A band made up of three guys and a girl played on the stage. Without thinking, Steve headed straight for the bar. The bar was a comfortable place to be. You didn't have to stand and most of the time, you were able to observe the whole room. Steve placed himself on one of the red, diner style bar stools and ordered himself a drink. From his vantage point, he could see Clint and Natasha in the crowd, the light glinting off her hair everyone once and a while. The whole crowd moved like one giant person, swaying back and forth with such precision; it was like one giant waltz.

"Can I have a vodka-soda please?" Steve heard an eerily familiar voice say. It had been a year and a half since he'd seen or spoken to Delilah. He didn't know anything about her life. Tony and the rest of their almost-family pretty much refused to speak about her when Steve was around, afraid of upsetting him and themselves.

Steve couldn't look up, wouldn't look up. It was too hard. He'd let her be. She was a free girl. She would always hold a special place in her heart, and he would always, always love her, but tonight, in a dingy bar in Paris, was not the moment to reunite with her.

* * *

Delilah sipped her drink, swaying slightly to the music. She stood near the bar; being to see the audience and the band helped her write her articles. She'd noticed people who looked eerily familiar, but she couldn't see them perfectly; the bar was almost too dark to see you own hand if you held it up to your face.

Delilah was both happy and sad at the same time. She was happy with work and friends, but she felt as if she should broaden her horizons, maybe try singing again. She'd dated since Steve, but for some odd reason, even though their relationship had hardly even happened, he held a special place in her heart, one that no man since him had been able to take over. She felt that maybe because their relationship had been a flash in the pan was the reason for the whole in her heart, was because they'd never truly had a fair shot at anything. It had been too sudden, hardly even real.

* * *

Steve couldn't get her out of his head. He'd watched her all night from afar, smiling when she smiled, frowning when she frowned. She was the image of perfection. He'd known he had to do something last night, but for now it was certain.

He'd gotten her address from Fury who had been keeping an eye on her (by request of Tony and Bruce). She lived along the Seine in a beautiful little apartment.

He walked up the creaky old staircase to the second floor. He found her number, 207. He knocked. And he waited.

* * *

Delilah had been baking when she heard a knock at her door. Taking on final lick off the whisk, she headed to her door. Behind her door was someone she though about constantly. Steve hadn't changed one bit, though his clothes had become a little more modern.

"I was in Paris."

* * *

Steve Rogers waltzed back into Delilah Rogers' life, and neither of them would have it any other way.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N That's it. I'm so sorry this final chapter has taken so long to upload. I truly believe that this is a suitable ending for two perfect people. I hope you all enjoyed.**

**Love always,**

**Avery**


	9. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE **

Bruce stood in front of the hotel room, checking his watch every five minutes and tapping his foot impatiently. He'd been told to tell Clint when the bride was actually ready. Clint and Natasha were renewing their vows, seeing as their actual wedding had been cut slightly short when the guests realized they were only invited because they were Clint and Natasha's targets.

* * *

Steve stood in front of Clint, fixing his tie. "Now, Clint," Steve began, "don't do anything rash, like burst into tears. And remember, this is your day too. Don't let Tony tell you otherwise. "

"Thanks Steve, I'm glad I asked you to be my best man…" Clint breathed a sigh of relief and looked at himself in the mirror. "I clean up good."

"That you do, big man," Delilah stood at the door of the room. She wore a dress the colour of Natasha's hair, and looked absolutely stunning. "Bruce wanted me to let you guys know that Natasha just finished getting ready, so I would take your places at the alter. Brace, Thor and day are already there."

"Thanks kid," Clint smiled at the dumbfounded look on Steve's face as Delilah left the room. "You two kill me."

* * *

"How does he look? He looks good, right? His black eye faded, right?" Natasha asked as Delilah, Pepper and Maria Hill walked towards the room where the wedding was to be taking place.

"He look amazing Natasha, don't worry. Everything will go perfectly." Natasha may be as cool as a cucumber when it came to battle, but when it came to love, and more specifically Clint, she was a nervous wreck.

"And the rest of them? Are they behaving?"

"Yes. Bruce has been ridiculously calm today, which is very good. Tony has been sedated. Thor has eaten a box of Pop tarts, so he's happy… and Steve is well… he's Steve."

"Good. I'm glad. Thanks for being my Maid of Honor, by the way. It's helped."

"My pleasure. You've helped me a lot, hell you and Clint let me stay at your house in Brooklyn when I moved back a few years ago, it's the least I could do." After Paris, Delilah had moved to London for two years, where she was in constant contact with almost all of the Avengers, aside from Thor, because he'd been stuck in Asgard doing god knows what. Finally, she'd been transferred back to New York, and in order to help here assimilate back into the city, she'd stayed at Clint's old apartment in Brooklyn, then had moved to Chelsea, where she currently lived with Erik, who was now solely a friend, seeing as he was dating a waitress from L.A who he'd met back when he had lived there for six months.

* * *

Delilah walked down the aisle and took in her surroundings. After being very single for a very long time, it was nice to see a few happy couples. The makeshift chapel had been decorated with roses that had been dyed purple and red. The room was small, which was good. In the few seats sat Director Fury, as well as a large number of S.H.I.E.L.D agents. In the front row, was a seat left empty, left for the man that made this relationship possible: Phil Coulson.

* * *

Steve honestly didn't know how to feel. Today was the perfect day for Natasha and Clint, yet he couldn't feel happy for his friends, because he was still so in love with Delilah, it was hard to bare.

"_I was in Paris."_

"_Wow. Hey Steve. How are you? Please, come in!" Delilah let him into her apartment. It was tiny yet everything he'd ever could have imagined. It felt as if he had just waltzed into a novel set in the 1930's. It was beautiful. It was Delilah. _

"_How are you?" He asked as they sat down to a cup of tea. _

"_Good, very good. I'm actually getting moved to London next year, which is quite exciting. I'm really happy, but I have to admit I do miss the States every so often…. How are you?"_

"_Good. I'm actually here on a mission. We finished early, so I thought I'd swing by and see you. You're dad gave me your address."_

"_That's great…" an awkward silence followed. Neither knew what to say. The hadn't ended things on perfect terms, and neither knew where they sat in terms of one another. _

_Without thinking, Steve put down his tea and pulled Delilah towards him. He placed one of his hands on her waist and the other on the side of her face. He leaned in, giving her enough time to fully pull back if she wished to, but she didn't. Their lips met, but neither felt it was right. Steve wasn't such which one of them pulled back first, but after some more awkward small talk, he decided it might be best to leave. _

"_It was great see you Steve, I'm sure I'll see you next time I'm in your neck of the woods." They embraced, but it felt as if they were hugging friends they'd fallen out with and were only just seeing again after years had passed; they didn't feel comfortable around one another anymore. _

"_Bye."_

She'd been back in New York for a year and a half, and they were starting to become more comfortable around each other. Steve still loved her, he knew that much. Loving her to him was like breathing, it came naturally, and as much as he tried, it couldn't live without it.

As she made her way down the aisle and to her spot beside Pepper, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, as much as he tried.

* * *

Maria watched as Steve stared at Delilah. It was cute; even she had to admit it. As much as she'd like to have a gorgeous, chivalrous man pining after her, she was perfectly happy thank you very much. Her and Bruce had been dating for months, and she thought he was perfect, and hopefully he thought the same of her.

* * *

_She's perfect_, Bruce thought as he looked at Maria. She was everything he wanted and more. She was beautiful, smart, funny, creative, thoughtful, and kick-ass. He didn't know what he'd do without her.

* * *

_Damn, I'm lucky. _Tony Stark honestly didn't know how he'd ended up in a life like this. He should have died in Afghanistan, but he'd been saved, and he now planned to live his life the way it should be: in love, a good-ish father, and partying, while also at least trying to help people. He had the most beautiful wife. He had the best kids in the entire world, no matter if they wanted to speak to him or not. He was loving life right now.

* * *

Pepper Potts-Stark was one lucky woman, and she knew that. She loved what she did and who she worked for, and who she had married, and the daughter she had inherited from that. She was truly happy.

* * *

Thor loved Jane, and Jane loved Thor, and that was all Thor cared about.

* * *

_I love her_, Clint thought.

* * *

_I love him_, thought Natasha.

* * *

Delilah felt like she was drowning; yet flying at the same time. She loved to be around the people she loved; yet she was lost. She knew her job could possibly fall through. The bands people who read the Magazine wanted to see, were not the people doing shows. She didn't know what to do. She also was lost with Steve. He looked amazing, in his tuxedo that fit him amazingly in all the right places. She knew she loved him, but she didn't know if she was okay with admitting it at loud just yet, but soon, she promised her self she would.

* * *

"It was a gorgeous ceremony," Steve muttered to Delilah as he took her arm. They were walking down the aisle behind the newly renewed couple.

"You are very right." She loved the way his arm felt wrapped around hers. She loved him.

* * *

"Everyone, smile." The group stood on a grand staircase in a Manhattan hotel. Somehow, Delilah and Steve had ended up together. "Now, ladies, In want you to all step in front of the men, and our beautiful bride on groom will be sitting at the foot of the stairs," the photographer said. Supposedly, according to Tony, he was the best wedding photographer around. As Delilah went to take a step down, her foot slipped and she felt herself go tumbling forward, when all of the sudden, she wasn't. She looked up and there stood Steve, his hand wrapped around his forearm, catching her.

"Thanks," she said, smiling up at him."

"My pleasure." He loved her.

* * *

"Do you ever realize how alone you are?" Delilah asked as she leaned on the railing of the balcony, her back to him. The wedding party and guests had all headed back to Stark Tower to eat, drink and be merry, be Delilah was feeling anything but merry.

"Yes, I do," Steve replied, as he came over to stand beside her. He'd come outside to see why she was all alone, and he understood: she was lonely.  
"I know you do. You would probably be the sole person to actually have a right to feel this way."

"No. Everyone has the right to feel."

"That was deep."

"I know," he said, taking a swig of his drink. The Manhattan skyline was on full display in front of them, and the summer air felt like a breath of fresh air to the stuffy heat of the Tower. Even though the tower was fully equipped with all that one could need, with a lot of people, it still felt stuffy and warm.

"I love you," she said quietly, so only he would be able to hear if anyone were to be eavesdropping, though both doubted there would be. She felt as if a weight had been lifter off her shoulders, and she was swimming towards the surface, almost in the reach of a new breath.

"I love you too." He took her hand in his and they looked out over the city together, feeling their loneliness begin to dissipate.

* * *

Delilah Stark and Steve Rogers loved each other, and that was all they truly knew.


End file.
